Wondering if you're pregnant? In this article, we explain the symptoms of a possible pregnancy.
I don't have my periods : am I pregnant?
Amenorrhea, the absence of periods, is THE known symptom of pregnancy. If you have a regular menstrual cycle and are experiencing a delay in periods, you may be wondering whether you're pregnant. In fact, periods is due to a drop in the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone if the egg has not been fertilized. But in the event of pregnancy, the level of these hormones remains high, and periods do not reappear until some time after childbirth.
However, delayed menstruation is not necessarily linked to pregnancy. It can also be caused by a delay in ovulation, major weight loss, an emotional shock or period of stress, or a change in contraception or the use of emergency contraception.
Conversely, some menstruating women (around 1 in 4) have periods anniversaries on the date of their periods while pregnant. This is due to nidation of the embryo, which may be accompanied by a little bleeding. These periods are generally less abundant, and tend to be pinkish, blackish or brownish, rather than red.
To avoid any nasty surprises, you can wear our organic cotton menstrual briefs.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy?
When you're pregnant, one of the first signs to appear is swollen, hypersensitive breasts. Your breasts may feel heavy and tense. This is due to the action of estrogen. However, it also happens to some menstruating women during the premenstrual period, so it's not an infallible symptom. However, if breast swelling is associated with a delay in periods, there's a good chance you're pregnant. What's more, if this is the case, the nipples and areola will also gradually change color, becoming darker, with small granular swellings.
Nausea and vomiting are also symptoms of pregnancy. However, not all menstruating women experience nausea and vomiting in the same way, since some suffer almost no symptoms at all, while others may experience nausea and vomiting throughout the first trimester. Even so, one in two women suffers from nausea, particularly in the morning. As a result, you may suddenly find yourself disgusted by certain foods, and lvice versa, you may find yourself craving certain foods.
During pregnancy, you may also feel pain in the lower abdomen and a tugging sensation in the groin area. This is because estrogen causes the ligaments to soften, allowing the belly to expand.
What are the lesser-known symptoms of pregnancy?
What's more, during the first weeks of pregnancy, you may also experience heartburn, heaviness after meals, or bloating. Constipation is not uncommon either. Our advice? Eat fiber-rich foods and drink plenty of water.
During pregnancy, the sense of smell often becomes very sensitive. Certain smells can suddenly disgust you, and can even cause nausea.
From the start of pregnancy, the uterus grows and presses on the bladder. That's why you may feel the need to urinate more often. Empty your bladder regularly and continue to drink plenty of water!
Temperature is a very good indicator of pregnancy. At the moment of ovulation, the temperature rises slightly (by a few tenths of a degree), then stabilizes for 14 days before dropping again. But if fertilization has taken place, the temperature does not drop again after 14 days. You can therefore check your temperature every morning and create a curve with these measurements. If your temperature remains high and stable for more than 15 days, you're probably pregnant.
Progesterone has receptors in the brain and acts on the entire nervous system, which would explain this feeling of exhaustion, particularly during the first weeks of the first trimester of pregnancy. So get as much rest as you can!
During pregnancy, it's not uncommon for menstruating women to experience major mood swings, from laughter to tears. Don't worry, it's all down to hormones! And it can be fleeting or last for most of the pregnancy.
What to do if you think you might be pregnant
If you're experiencing these symptoms, or any of them, and you're wondering whether you're pregnant, the first thing to do is to take a pregnancy test from the first day of delay periods. These are available from chemists or supermarkets, and give a quick and fairly reliable initial result (99%). We also recommend that you perform the test on your first morning's urine, which is more concentrated.
If the stest proves positive, it must be confirmed by a blood test. It's time to make an appointment with a gynecologist or midwife!
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